The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially ended after seven weeks of competition in Paris, and the numbers suggest that taking the tournament outside Saudi Arabia helped EWC grow its global reach. The 2026 edition recorded 850 million viewers and 440 million hours watched, while ticket sales for esports competitions nearly doubled compared to the previous year.
The move was a major change for the Esports World Cup. The 2025 edition was held in Riyadh and attracted more than 3 million visitors, while over 2,500 players and club staff participated. Paris became the first city outside Riyadh to host EWC in 2026, making it an important test of whether the event could succeed internationally.
So, how did Esports World Cup 2025 vs 2026 compare, and was moving to Paris actually a good decision?
Esports World Cup 2025 vs 2026: Numbers Compared
Here is a simple comparison based on the official figures shared for both editions:
| Category | EWC 2025 – Riyadh | EWC 2026 – Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Players/Staff | 2,500+ | 2,000+ players |
| Clubs | 218 | 200 |
| Countries/Nationalities | 89 nationalities | 100+ countries |
| Tournaments | 25 | 25 |
| Games | 24 | 24 |
| Prize Pool | $70M+ | $75M |
| Hours Watched | 340M | 440M |
| Peak Viewership | 7.5M | 4.3M |
| Physical Visits | 3M | 2M |
| Esports Tickets Sold | ~90K* | 175K |
| Creators/Co-streamers | 700+ | 5,000 |
*The approximate 2025 ticket figure is inferred from the official statement that 2026’s 175,000 esports tickets represented a 94% year-on-year increase.
The comparison shows an interesting picture. Riyadh remained ahead when it came to overall physical visitors, but Paris delivered major growth in online consumption and paid esports attendance.
EWC 2025 Was Massive in Riyadh
The Esports World Cup 2025 was already a huge event. More than 2,500 players and team staff representing 89 nationalities competed across 25 tournaments and 871 matches. The total prize money was over $70 million.
A total of 218 clubs competed, with 103 earning Club Championship points. Team Falcons eventually took the Club Championship and its $7 million prize.
Riyadh’s biggest strength was the festival experience.
Around 3 million visits were recorded across the tournament and festival, with the event spread across four esports arenas and eight festival venues at Boulevard Riyadh City.
Online numbers were also strong. EWC 2025 generated 340 million hours watched, while the League of Legends final reached a peak of 7.5 million concurrent viewers.
What Changed at Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris?
Paris had fewer total visits but showed strong growth in several other areas.
More than 2,000 players from 200 clubs and over 100 countries competed across 25 tournaments in 24 games. The prize pool also increased to a record $75 million.
The biggest improvement came online.
According to the official numbers, EWC 2026 reached 850 million viewers and recorded 440 million hours watched, with those figures reported as increases of 13% and 26% year-on-year respectively. The event was distributed through more than 100 broadcast and OTT partners in 47 languages.
Another major jump came from ticket sales. Paris sold 175,000 tickets for esports competitions, which was 94% higher than 2025. Total visits across tournament venues, Fan Fest and other city activations crossed 2 million.
Paris Brought EWC Into the City
One of the most interesting parts of the 2026 edition was how EWC was promoted across Paris.
More than 22,600 campaign placements were used around the French capital, reportedly reaching 94% of Parisians. EWC branding also appeared around famous locations including the Champs-Élysées and Eiffel Tower. The final weekend’s Counter-Strike tournament was moved to the 20,000-seat Accor Arena following strong ticket demand.
This was important because EWC was no longer operating only from its established base in Riyadh. Paris gave the organizers a chance to prove that the event could travel to another major global city and still attract fans.
AG.AL End Team Falcons’ Club Championship Run
There was also a major change inside the competition.
AG.AL won the EWC 2026 Club Championship with 5,300 points and received the $7 million prize. Team Falcons, who entered as two-time defending champions, finished second with 4,600 points.
AG.AL’s results included a championship in Tekken 8, second-place finishes in Chess, Free Fire and Honor of Kings World Cup, and third place in Teamfight Tactics. Their Trackmania victory on the final weekend ultimately secured the Club Championship.
Was Moving Esports World Cup From Riyadh to Paris a Good Decision?
Based purely on the available numbers, Paris appears to have been a successful experiment, although it did not beat Riyadh in every category.
Riyadh 2025 recorded more overall physical visits at 3 million compared to Paris’ 2 million. The 2025 peak concurrent viewership of 7.5 million was also higher than the 4.3 million peak reported for 2026.
However, Paris produced 440 million hours watched compared with 340 million in 2025, while esports ticket sales increased by 94%. The 2026 event also expanded to 5,000 creators and co-streamers and reached audiences through broadcasts in 47 languages.
So rather than simply asking whether Paris was “better” than Riyadh, the more useful conclusion is that the move showed EWC could work outside its original home.
Paris delivered stronger online engagement and esports ticket demand, while Riyadh remained stronger as a huge festival destination.
Esports World Cup Will Return to Riyadh in 2027
Paris will not host the next edition. The organizers have officially confirmed that the Esports World Cup 2027 will return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
That does not necessarily make Paris a one-off failure. In fact, the organizers described Paris as the event’s first international host city and an important step toward building a global foundation for future editions.
After two editions in Riyadh followed by Paris in 2026, EWC has now shown two different models: Riyadh as its established home and Paris as proof that the competition can travel internationally.
The numbers suggest the Paris experiment worked. The bigger question now is whether EWC will continue rotating through major cities after its return to Riyadh in 2027.
